compositional and microtextural analysis of basaltic pyroclastic feedstock materials used for the...
TRANSCRIPT
Compositional and Microtextural Analysis of Basaltic Pyroclastic Feedstock Materials
Used for the 2010 ISRU Field Tests, Mauna Kea, Hawaii
N. Marin, J. Farmer, K. Zacny, G. Sellar, J. NuñezSchool of Earth and Space Exploration
ISRU: In Situ Resource UtilizationGoal: extract basic resources from basalt
Ex: water, oxygen, methaneNASA-sponsored ISRU experiments were carried out in February of 2010 on the slopes of Mauna Kea Volcano, Hawaii
WHY?: to support future human exploration of the moon
FeO + H2 Fe + H2O
0 cm
(Sample 1)
~16.7 cm
(Sample 2)
~33.3 cm
(Sample 3)
~50 cm
(Sample 4)
~66.7 cm
(Sample 5)
~83.3 cm
(Sample 6)
1 m
TIR (Thermal Infrared Spectroscopy):
-Iron Oxide-Volcanic glass-Plagioclase-Olivine-Pyroxene
XRD Diffractograms
1(sample)
2 3 4 5 6
Plagioclase
Pyroxene
Olivine
Magnetite
Ilmenite
Hematite
Ferrihydrite
Celadonite
Nontronite
Montmoril.
Saponite
XRD Result Summary
Dark Glass Dark Glass with Plagioclase
Glassy Porphyritic Basalt (surface altered)
Microporphyritic Basalt (interior altered)
Light Glass Plagioclase Pyroxene Olivine
Dark Glas
s
Dark Glas
s with
Plagiocla
se
Glassy
Porphyri
tic Basa
lt
Microporp
hyritic B
asalt
Light g
lass
Plagiocla
se
Pyroxe
ne
Olivine
0
20
40
60
Sample 1 (Surface)
Dark Glas
s
Dark Glas
s with
Plagiocla
se
Glassy
Porphyri
tic Basa
lt
Microporp
hyritic B
asalt
Light g
lass
Plagiocla
se
Pyroxe
ne
Olivine
0
20
40
60
Sample 2
Dark Glas
s
Dark Glas
s with
Plagiocla
se
Glassy
Porphyri
tic Basa
lt
Microporp
hyritic B
asalt
Light g
lass
Plagiocla
se
Pyroxe
ne
Olivine
0
20
40
60
Sample 3
Dark Glas
s
Dark Glas
s with
Plagiocla
se
Glassy
Porphyri
tic Basa
lt
Microporp
hyritic B
asalt
Light g
lass
Plagiocla
se
Pyroxe
ne
Olivine
0
20
40
60
Sample 4
Dark Glas
s
Dark Glas
s with
Plagiocla
se
Glassy
Porphyri
tic Basa
lt
Microporp
hyritic B
asalt
Light g
lass
Plagiocla
se
Pyroxe
ne
Olivine
0
20
40
60
Sample 5
Dark Glas
s
Dark Glas
s with
Plagiocla
se
Glassy
Porphyri
tic Basa
lt
Microporp
hyritic B
asalt
Light g
lass
Plagiocla
se
Pyroxe
ne
Olivine
0
20
40
60
Sample 6
Image J
ConclusionsThe amount of Fe3+ phases in the core samples increases with depth (age) due to the weathering oxidation reactions caused by greater water exposure. In comparison, the surface materials contain more Fe2+ phases, along with unaltered porphyritic clasts. By the basic two step extraction process proposed for ISRU, FeO + H2 Fe + H2O (Allen et al. 1996), the observed increase in the abundance of hydrated alteration phases with depth implies that these deeper subsurface materials in Hawaii are more favorable for not only the extraction of water from regolith, but also the extraction of oxygen (e.g. 2FeOH + H2 2Fe + 2 H2 O).